Automatic record changing phonograph



Feb. 19,1935. ,"r. w. SMALL I v ,9 ,9

AUTOMATIC RECORD'CHANGING PHONOGRAPH Filed Aug. 30, 195s s SheetsSheet 1 h INVENTOR. 1 v k Q 1 7170/7/75 n! @vau.

Filed Aug. 30, 1933 ,3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 19, 1935. W, MALL 1,991,964

AUTOMATIC RECORUCHANGING pnonoemra v Filed Aug. so, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet a 97 El 9 9' 57 I? 'I V ,I

INVENTOR. 7/16/1176 W. 59 4041..

- Patented Feb. 19, V v I AUTOMATIC RECORD CHANGIN PHONOGRAPH Thomas w. Small, Huntington, Ind. Application nugusi'so, 1933, Serial No. 687,392

UNITED} STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 J vrmswm 11 Claims. (01.274-10) This invention relates. to a record changing figures, the parts are shown in the position asphonograph of the type adapted to play successumed during the playing ofa record, which is si vely a number of disc reccrds.- hereinafter referred to as 'the playing position;

The principal object of the invention is to In the preferred form of the invention illussimplify the construction and reduce-thecost of trated in the drawings, theentiremechanism is 5 this type of phonograph and at the same time to mounted on a deck plate which may be suitmake the operation more rapid andcertain than ably supported in any desired form of cabinet. has heretofore been possible. On the under sideof the deck plate 10, there is One feature of the invention resides in the use mounted a motor 11 which continuously drives 10 of a pivotally mounted record magazine which a turntable 12 by means of suitable gears con- 10 is automatically tilted in the record changing tained in a-housing 13. The motor 11, through operation, first to bring one face of the records suitable gears, also continuously drives a stub therein uppermost for reception of a record from shaft 14 which in turn drives a second shaft 15 the playing turntable and then to bring the opby means of a flexible coupling 16 of a well known 15 posite face uppermost for remevalcf a record form. 15

therefrom to the turntable. Thus the records are removed from one side of the group of records clutch mechanism and after playing are returned to the opposite The shaft 15 is mounted in a suitable bearing side of the group. Since the magazine is reversed 17 formed on the under side of the deck plate between the receiving and the delivering opera- 10 and extends within a clutch sleeve 18 slidably tion the opposite faces of each record are altermounted upon a shaft 19 supported in a bearing nately presented for playing. 20 also carried upon the under side of thedeck Another feature of the invention resides in the plate 10. The shaft 15 has secured thereto a extremely simple means used for moving records collar 21 fitted with one or more pins 22 adapted between the magazine and turntable. This to engage teeth zaformed p h l tch sle ve 25 means comprises an elevatorfor raising the rec- '18. The sleeve 18 is held agal p 0rd above the centering pin of the turntable and the shaft 19 by a pin 24 extending through the for lowering the new record to the turntable, toaid ha e S eve 8 i urged t the t i gether with a pair of oscillating arms connected 4 y a Compression Sp 25 Surroundmg to move in unison, one of which moves the record the Shaft 19 and abutting at 0 end a a said from the elevator to the magazine while the other SIBBVG and at the pp end against a 2 26 moves the newrecord from the magazine t th secured to the shaft 19. The sleeve 18 carries a elevator. pin 27 engaging a latch member 28 secured to a Another feature of the invention resides in the rotatable e In t p t of t pa s F simplified mechanism by which electrical circuits shown In 4, the Sam p 15 e g d y t e o are completed at the end of playing of a record said and the S1eeVe 18 is t0 the right for initiating the record changing operation. g P engagement wilfh t P s In this Another feature resides in anovel mounting-for -posmoni the Shaft 19 1S thsconnected from the the pick-up arm. shaft 15 and, therefore, is at rest. When the 40 other, objectslaflatures of the invention stem 29 is rocked in a clockwise direction, the pin 40 2'1 is released from the latch 28, and the spring will be understood from the accompanying draw- 25 then moves the clutch sleeve 18 to the left to 7 mgs and the following description and claims. 1

1 1 f th 11.11 2 engage the pins 22. In this position, the shaft :3 j 1 3' p "i .g f is rotated by rotation of the shaft 15. The shaft is e F F "Y 0 51 e ereo 19 drives the record changing mechanism to be 1S w eevatmnajl the opposxte hereinafter described,. the entire operation of said side. Fig. 4 s an elevational view of the turnmechanism taking place during one rotation table end of the machine with parts cut away to Said h show other parts in detail. Fig. 5 is a sect For actuating the latch 26 to initiate movement .30 view of solenold-operatedlatch mechamsm s of the shaft 19; there is provided a solenoid so so for initiating the record changing operation. Fig. having plunger 31 hi h is mo d to the left 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the in Fig 5 by actuation of th k oid, Th id ne 6 o Fig-7 s an e va View movement of the plunger is resisted by a spring 32 a pa t of the electrical ppa a u 8 is a abutting against aplug 33 carried at one end of 5; d ram of electrical connections. In all of the the said solenoid. The plunger 31 carries a. latch 55 pin 34 engaging a shoulder formed on a latch block 35 secured to the stem 29, the said stem being in turn supported upon suitable bearing brackets 38 on the under side of the deck 10; A

5 tension spring 37 is attached at one end to the block 35 and at the opposite end to one of the bearing brackets 36 and urges the stem 29 in the clockwise direction. The solenoid 30 isenergized at the completion of the playing of a record by a suitable electric circuit, to be hereinafter described, and, when energized, the said solenoid draws its plunger inward to free the latch block- 35 and permit the spring 37 to rock the stem 29 in the proper direction to free the latch 28 from the pin 27. The clutch '18 is thus permitted to engage thepins 22 to initiate rotation of the shaft 19.

Immediately after tripping the latch, the .solenold is deenergized by apparatus to be hereinafter described. The latch 28 and latch block 35 are' reset intheir original positions by the engagement of the tail 28a of the latch 28 with a cam surface 26a carried by the collar 26, during the latter part of the rotation of shaft 19. When shaft 19 has made a complete revolution, pin 2'7 engages latch 28and sleeve 18 is drawn thereby out of engagement with pins 22 to stop the rotation of said shaft until the solenoid 30 is again energized. Thus, shaft 19 makes one complete revolution and then comes to rest each time the solenoid 30 is energized.

Pick-up mechanism and movements At one corner of the deck plate 18, there is formed an upstandingboss 38 'in which there is" rotatably mounted a bushing 39 having on its upper end a pair of arms 40. A pick-up arm 41 is pivotally mounted by means of a pin 42 at the ends of the arms 40. The pick-up arm 41 carries a pick-up mechanism 43 which may be positioned over a record 44 on turntable 12 in the usual manner for reproduction thereof. The v lower end of the bushing 39 extending beneath the deck plate 10 has clamped thereon a lever arm 45 to which there is secured a pair of "tension springs 46 secured at their opposite ends to pins 47 carried by a block 48. The block 48 is secured to the lower end of a stem 49 extending upwardly through the bushing 39 and slidable therein. The upper end of the stem 49 engages the under surface of the pick-up arm 41. By' means of this construction, the stem 49 is urged upwardly by the springs 46 and thus tends to counterbalance the weight of the pick-uparm and the pick-up on the record. By proper selection of the springs the pressure of the stylus upon the record is adjusted to any desired degree.

The collar 26 can-ies a cam 50 which engages an upwardly extending point 51 of a lever 52 which is pivotally mounted upon abracket 53 formed on the under surface of the deck plate 10.

a stem 55 whiclrextends upwardly through a guide boss 56 formed on the deck plate and engages the lower surface fthepick-up arm 41. The cam'50 is formed with a single nbtchwhich is engaged by the point 51 when the shaft 19 is stopped at the playing position of the mechanism. As soon'as rotation of the shaft 19 commences. the cam 50 is rotated todepress the point 51 and to elevate the stem 55. The elevation of said stem lifts the pick-up arm 41, thus removing the stylus from the record preparatory to moving the recordfrom the turntable.

The shaft 19 carries a small arm 5'1 which is adapted to engage, in the rotation of the said shaft, with a pair of downwardly projecting fingers 58 and 59 which are in turn carried upon a bar 60 which is supported for longitudinal movement in a manner to be hereinafter described. Thebar 60 has at one end a downward projection 61 positioned to engage a pin 62 carried by the outer end of the lever arm 45. As the shaft 19 is rotated in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3, the arm 57 engages the arm 59 for moving the bar 60 to the right to engage the projection 61 with the pin 62. Continued movement of the bar 60 carries the arm 45 to the right, thus turning the bushing 39 and the pick-up arm 41 in the counterclockwise direction. This movement is arm.45 so that thepickrup 43 comesto rest 11 or slightly beyond the starting point for a new record.

Continued rotation of the shaft 19 brings the arm 57 into engagement with the arm 58, thus forcing the bar- 60 to the left in Fig. 3 and bring ing a resilient spring finger 63 into engagement with a portion of the arm 45 and moving the said arm slightly to the left to steady the same and to, bring the stylus accurately over the starting point of the record. At the end of a complete revolution .of the shaft 19 the point 51 again enters the notch in the cam 50 and permits the pickup arm 41 to be lowered to bring the stylus into playing engagement with the record.

- therefor The storage magazine, generally indicated by the numeral 64, consists of a semi-circular band 65, preferably of metal, the ends of which are secured together by a cross bridge 66 and which is fitted with lugs 67 and'68 suitably positioned to retain a group of records 69 within the magazine in the position illustrated in the drawings. The said magazine is pivotally mounted by means of.pins 7g upon a pair of bearing lugs 71 formed upon the upper'surface of the deck plate 10. At one side of the machine there is secured on one of the pins a cam 72, the said cam having a radially arranged slot 73 and wing portions 74 and 75'. A lever 76 is pivotally mounted upon a bracket 77 projecting downwardly from thedeck 10, and carries at its upper end a pin 78 adapted .to travel within the radial slot 73 and to engage the wing portions 74 and 75 of the cam 72. At the lower end of the lever 76 there is pivotally attached a link 79, the opposite end of which is attached to an arm 80 mounted upon a shaft 81 extending transversely beneath the machine and supported uponsuitable bearings. The opposite end of said shaft carries an arm 82 pivotally connected to a link 83 in turn connected to an arm. 84 secured to the shaft 19. I

In the operation of this portion of the device. the lengths and positions of the arms -82 and 84 are such that the rotation of the shaft 19 imparts an oscillating movement to the shaft 81. As the rotation of shaft 19 from the playing position begins the arm 82 is drawn to the left in .Fig. 3 and the arm 80 is thereby moved to the face A uppermost, the records being retained in the magazine by lugs 67.

Further rotation of the shaft 19 reverses the direction of movement of the arm 82 and thus moves the magazine through its original position and, by engagement of the pin "18 with the opposite side of the slot '73 and with the wing portion '75 it tilts the magazine into a nearly horizontal position with the surface B of the records uppermost. In this position of the magazine, the records are retained therein by the bridge 66 and the lug 68. The completion 0! the single rotation of the shaft 19 permits the magazine to return to the normal position. Thus, in each cycle of movement of the apparatus the magazine 64 is twice tilted to bring the group of records into a nearly horizontal position, first with one surface and then with the opposite surface of vtherecords uppermost.

s Record-manipulating arms Formed on the upper surface of the deck 16 there is a boss within which there is rotatably mounted a stem 86 carrying secured on its upper end an arm 87 adapted to move backward and forward over the turntable by oscillation of stem 86. The arm 87 has at its outer end a downward projection 88. A second boss 89 is similarly formed on the deck plate 10 adjacent the magazine and has rotatably mounted therein a stem 90. The stem 90 has passing therethrough at its upper end a horizontal pin 91 upon which there is pivotally mounted a second arm 92 adapted to oscillate backward and forward over the magazine when the said magazine is in either oi. its horizontal positions. The said arm is also free to move in a vertical plane about the pin 91 and is normally supported upon a guideway 93 formed upon the upper surface of the deck 10. The stem. 86 has secured to the lower end thereof an arm 94 while the stem 90 similarly carries an arm 95. Each of said arms is pivotaiiy connected to the reciprocating bar 66 and the two arms together serve as the sole support i'or the said bar. The reciprocating operation of the said bar has already been described and it .willbe apparent that, as the rotation of the shaft 19 commences, the arm's 87 and 92 will be caused thereby to move first in the clockwise direction, the arm 8'? passing over the turntable and the arm 92 passing over the magazine which at this time has been moved to its horizontal position with the surface A uppermost. In this movement, the arm 92 engages a cam 96 carried upon the magazine and is caused thereby to be raised above the records and the bridge 66 to prevent interference therewith. The return movement of the bar 60, due to the continued rotation of the shaft 19, returns the arms 87 and 92 to the original positions shown in Fig. 1.

Elevators At each side of the turntable, there is provided an elevator in the form of a plate Q! carried upon the upper end of a pin 98 and each of said pins is-suitably guided for vertical movement in a boss 99 formed on the undersuriace of the deck 10. A cam 100, having a fiat face 1G1,v is mounted on the shaft 81 and engages the end of a lever 102 which is pivotally mounted upon a bracket 103 formed on the under surface of the deck 10. The lever 102 has a forwardly extending portion 104 which carries a pair of arms 105 each extending to a position beneath one of the pins 98. Each of the arms 105 carries an adjustable abutment 106 each adapted to engage the lower end of one of the stems 98. In the operation of this mechanism, the oscillating movement of the shaft 81 causes the cam 100 to alternately raise and lower the lever 102, thus alternately raising and lower-- ing the elevators 97.

-Mechanism and circuits for solenoid operation Surrounding the bushing 39 and immediately above the arm 45 there is a friction washer of cork or other suitable material. An arm 116 is freely mounted on said bushing above the washer 115 and extends beneath the deck plate 10 to a position adjacent the hub 117 of the turntable which projects downwardly through a suitable opening in said deck plate. A collar 118 surrounds the bushing 39 above the arm 116 and serves to retain said arm in frictional engagement with the washer 115. By this means the arm 116 is frictionally moved with. the movement oi the pick-up arm 41.

The hub 11'? carries a lug 11!! positioned to engage thearm 116 in the rotation of the turntable. As the pick-up arm moves slowly inward over the record, the arm 116 is moved thereby through a distance corresponding to the pitch of the record grooves at each revolution. However, the lug 119 strikes the arm 116 at each revolution so that said arm is returned to its initial po sition against the friction of the washer 115. Thus there is no appreciable change in the position of the arm 116 during the playing of the record. At the end of the playing period, the stylus of the pick-up enters the end groove 120 of the record andis'rapidly moved thereby toward the center of the record. This rapid movement of the pick-up results in an equally rapid inward movement of arm 116 between rotations of the lug 119 so that said arm is moved much closer to the hub 117 than during the playing period. The increased movement of arm 116 permits the same to strike one of a pair of normally open electrical contact elements 121 to bring said elements into electrical engagement with each other.

In the return movement of the pick-up arm 41, the movement of arm 116 is restrained by a suitable fixed stop (not shown) so that said arm is again in position to function properly at the commencement of playing the succeeding rec- 0rd.

The contact elements 121 are included in an electrical circuit for solenoid 30 shown in Fig. 8.

The said circuit is connected to a suitabie source of electric current by power mains 122, one of which is connected to a stop switch 123 and the other to one terminal of the solenoid 30 and to the motor 11. The opposite terminal of switch 123 is connected to the motor and to cheat the contact elements 121. The second or" said elements is connected to one of a pair of normally closed contact elements 124, the second oi which is connected to the second terminal of solenoid 30. By means of this wiring, the motor 11 is constantly operated so long as the switch 123 is closed and thereafter the closing of elements 121 actuates the solenoid 30.

path of :5, lug 12? carried upon the latch stem 129.

As soon as the solenoid is energized to trip the latch 34, the said lug strikes the said insulation piece and separates the contact elements 124, thus breaking the circuit to the solenoid 30. This prevents chattering of the solenoid-due to repeated engagement of the arm 116 with contact elements 121 before the said arm is withdrawn therefrom. In the cycle of operations, the arm 116 is withdrawn before the latch block and stem 29 are reset so that the solenoid circuit can not again be completed before'the completion of playing of another record.

, Operation At the completion of playing of a record, the

solenoid 30 is actuated to trip the latch 28 and the same time, the magazine is tilted to bring the records into position with the surface A uppermost. Further movement of the shaft 19 brings the arm 57 into-engagement with the arm 59 for moving the bar 60 to the right (Fig. 3, left in Fig. 1). This movement moves the pick-up arm toward starting position and moves the record shifting arms 8'! and 92 to the left in Fig. 1. At this time the record just removed from the turntable is held by the elevators in the path of the projection 88 on the arm 87 and the said record is moved thereby from'the elevators toward the magazine.

Upon leaving the elevators the edges of the record are supported upon a trackway 108 and guided by guide members 109 formed upon the upper surface of the deck 10. As the record reaches the magazine, it is moved over the edge of the semicircular portion. 65 thereof and the edge of the record passes beneath the bridge 66. The travel of the arm 87 is so adjusted that the record is moved beyond the lug 68 and thus falls into position upon the upper surface of the group of records.

The continued rotation of the shaft 19 next commences the return oscillation of the shaft 81 which reverses the position of the magazine and brings the same into position with the surface B of the records uppermost. Before this motion is complete, however, the return movement of the arms 87 and. 92 is begun so that the arm 87 is clear of the magazine as it is moved toward the horizontal position. As the return movement of the arm 92 continues, a downward projection thereon passes through an opening 111 in the rim 65 of the magazine and the sloping undersurface thereof engages the upper surface of the upper record in the magazine. when so engaged, a smaller projection 112 engages the edge of the said record and moves the same through the open side of the magazine onto the trackway 108 and thence to the elevators 97. A lug formed on the upper surface of deck 10 is of the proper height to preventremoval of more than one record from the magazine.

During this movement of the record, the pick-up arm 41 is brought back to accurate position over the starting point of the record by means .of the spring finger 63. The travel of the arm 92 is so adjusted that the record comes to rest upon the elevators with the centering hole directly above the centering pin 107. The further movement of the shaft 19 permits the lowering of the elevators, the return of the magazine to its normal position, the lowering of the pick-up onto the record and the resetting of the latch 28. The completion of the single revolution of the shaft 19 brings pin 27 into engagement with latch 28 'to withdraw the clutch is and stop said shaft.

The cycle of operation is now complete and the playing of the newly positioned record is commenced.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the necessary movements for the changing of. records are produced with a minimum of moving parts and with parts of an extremely simple and rugged .construction. The space occupied by theentire apparatus is little more than that required by a common phonograph plus that required for the storage maga-' bination of a turntable, a pivotally mounted,

record storage magazine having a supporting portion engaging the edges of 'a group of records and supporting the same on edge in one position of said magazine, means for tilting said magazine about its pivotal mounting to move said records toward a horizontal position with said supporting portion toward said turntable, and means for moving a record from said turntable and over said supporting portion into said magazine when said magazine is so tilted. I

2. In a recordchanging phonograph, the combination v of a turntable, a pivotally mounted record storage magazine having a supporting portion engaging the edges of a group of records and supporting the same on edge in one position of said magazine, the opposite side of said magazine being open for free passage of records, means for tilting said magazine about its pivotal mounting successively in opposite directions to move said records toward horizontal positions first with one face uppermost and then with the oppositeface uppermost, and means for moving a record from said turntable into said magazine when the same is tilted in one direction and for moving a reco'ni out of said magazine toward said turntable whenand supporting the same on edge in one position of said magazine, the opposite side of ,said magazine being open for free passage of records, means for tilting said magazine about its pivotal mounting successively in opposite directions to move said records toward horizontal positions first with one face uppermost and then vwith the opposite face uppermost, and means for moving a recordv from said turntable into said magazine when the same is tilted in one direction and for moving a record out of said magazine toward said turntable when said magazine is tilted in the opposite direction, the record passing over said supporting portion in its movement into said magazine and passing through theopen side of said magazine in its movement therefrom.

4. In a record chan ing phonograph, the combination of a turntable, a storage magazine for records, a pair of arms pivotally mounted for oscillation over said turntable and storage magazine respectively, means for oscillating said arms in timed relation, one of said arms engaging a record for moving the same from said turntable to said magazine and the other engaging a record for moving the same from said magazine to said turntable, and means for elevating the last mentioned arm above the magazine on the return stroke thereof.

5. In a record changing phonograph, the combination of a turntable, a pivotally mounted storage magazine adapted to retain a group of disc records in face to face relation, a pair of arms pivotally mounted for oscillation over said turntableand storage magazine respectively, means for oscillating said arms in timed relation, one

of said arms engaging a record for moving the same from said turntable to said magazine and the other engaging a record for moving the same from said magazine to said turntable, and means for moving said magazine about its pivotal mounting to present one side of said group of records for reception of the record from the turntable and to present the opposite side thereof for removal of the second mentioned record.

6. In a record changing phonograph, thecombination of a horizontally rotatable turntable, a record storage magazine diametrically pivoted in substantially the same horizontal plane as said turntable, a pivotally. mounted arm positioned to oscillate over said magazine, means for oscillating said arm, and means for oscillating said magazine about its diametric pivot in timed relation therewith to bring a record into position to be engaged by said arm in its movement in one direction for moving a record horizontally from said magazine toward said turntable.

7. In a record changing phonograph, the combination of a turntable, a pivotally mounted recrd storage magazine, a pivotally mounted arm positioned'to oscillate over said magazine, means for oscillating said arm, means for oscillating said magazine. in timed relation therewith to bring, a record into position to be engaged by said arm in its movement in one direction for moving a record from said magazine toward said turntable, and means for preventing engagement of said arm with said records in the magazine during its return movement.

8. In a record changing phonograph, the combination of a turntable, a movable record storage magazine, a pivotally mounted arm positioned to oscillate over said magazine, means for oscillating said arm, a cam carried by said magazine,

thereof substantially in the and means for moving said magazine to bring a record into position to be engaged by said arm in its movement in one direction for moving said record from said magazine toward said turntable and to bring said cam into engagement with said arm to guide the same out of engagement with said records in ,the return movement of said arm.

9. In a record changing phonograph, the combination of a turntable, a pivotally mounted storage magazine adapted to retain a group of records, means for moving said magazine about its pivotal mounting to bring first one side and then the other sideof said group of records uppermost, a pivotally mounted arm positioned to oscillate over said magazine, means for moving said arm in one direction when one side of said record group is uppermost and in the other direction when the opposite side is uppermost, said arm in one of'said movements engaging a record in said magazine and moving the same toward said turntable, and means formed on said magazine in position to be engaged by said arm in its opposite movement to prevent engagement thereof with a record.

10. In a record changing phonograph, the combination of a horizontally-disposed turntable, a storage magazine pivotally mounted diametrically thereof substantially in the horizontal plane of the turntable and to one side thereof adapted to retain a group of records, means for moving said magazine in one direction about its pivotal mounting to present one side of said records for reception of a record from said turntable, and in the other direction to present the opposite side for the delivery of a record therefrom to said turntable, and means for delivering a record horizontally from the turntable to the magazine when the magazine is in one position and from the magazine to the turntable when the magazine is in the other position. v

11. In a record changing phonograph, the combination of 'a horizontally-disposed turntable, a storage magazine pivotally mounted diametrically horizontal plane ofthe turntable and to one side retain a group of records, means for swinging the magazine about its pivotal'mou'nting to present thereof adapted to one face of the records contained therein uppera most for transfer of said records to the turntable,

records between said magazine and turntable.

'rnouas w. SMALL. 

